KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Bagan Datuk-BN) has retracted his motion in Parliament seeking to suspend Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Tasek Gelugor-PN) from the Dewan Rakyat after the latter apologised and retracted his allegedly slanderous statement.
The relatively calm exchange was kickstarted by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who gave Wan Saiful a chance to speak before Zahid tabled the motion in the lower House today.
Wan Saiful jumped at the opportunity, saying he was sorry for implying that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) is corrupt and implicating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in his allegations.
“During my debate (on the royal address) on February 28, I mentioned that corruption is an abuse of power, and the person who abuses that power will have an audience with His Majesty every week prior to the cabinet meeting.
“My statement was indeed directed at Tambun (Anwar)…I retract my statement and apologise. I’m also sorry for touching on (matters related to) the Agong,” Wan Saiful said.
Johari’s decision to accept Wan Saiful’s apology and retraction was met with rousing cheers from the House, following which Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, then said that he would retract his motion seeking to suspend Wan Saiful from Parliament for six months.
Chiming in on the matter, opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut-PN) thanked Johari for his handling of the issue, adding that the people should now be able to see that their parliamentary representatives are taking their responsibilities seriously.
Government backbencher Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Paya Besar-BN) also said the incident should be taken as a lesson to avoid similar situations in the future.
Johari then said he would like to consider the “episode” as something in the past, urging lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to “move on” and discuss their constituents’ issues in a more peaceful and orderly manner.
“Let’s close the case and move on,” the speaker said.
A brief spat then followed between Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Arau-PN) and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan-BN) after the former attempted to bring up an issue despite Dewan Rakyat Secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin having read out the House’s next order of business.
On February 28, Johari gave Wan Saiful a spectacular rebuke after the Bersatu MP indirectly accused the prime minister of corruption.
Wan Saiful, who later apologised and retracted his statement, was debating the royal address and had expressed support for the King’s remarks against corruption. However, this ignited a fierce reaction from government backbenchers.
Although he did not name Anwar then, it is a known convention that the prime minister meets the King every week before the cabinet meeting.
MPs were already on edge as Wan Saiful had just before this claimed he was induced to support Anwar with offers of financial aid for his constituency as well as promises to have his corruption charges dropped. – March 5, 2024